Card punching machine



W. H. WILLAUER CARD PUNCHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31, 1965 Wilmer H. Wil/auer INVENTOR.

May 21, 1968 w. H. WILLAUER CARD PUNCHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Filed Aug. 31., 1965 Wilmer H. Wil/auer United States Patent 3,384,300 CARD PUNCHING MACHINE Wilmer H. Willauer, Rte. 3, Box 262, Quakertown, Pa. 18951 Filed Aug. 31, 1965, Ser. No. 483,981 6 Claims. (Cl. 234-94) ABSTRACT OF THE DHSCLOSURE A plurality of relatively thin punch and die blocks stacked between guides for sliding movement to selected positions to punch data on a card positioned within transverse slots formed in the blocks, when a common actuator is operated. The blocks are positioned by means of rods having selector knobs more widely spaced apart than the rods. The portions of the rods extending from the knobs are received in detent notches formed in a guide plate. The rods are angularly displaceable about their longitudinal axes by the knobs for release from the notches to move the blocks to other selected positions by movement of the knobs along guide slots in the plate within which the notches are formed.

This invention relates to a device for punching coded data on a card or the like.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a card punching device which is particularly useful in a cost or price accounting system utilized for example in retail stores. Thus, coded information regarding the price or cost of items sold may be punched in a card or tag and the information decoded by matching of the coded card with a master card. It will, of course, be apparent that the card punching machine and the cards on which it operates may be designed for other purposes or systems for which the card punching machine will be particularly suited.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a card punching machine through which the coded ata being punched into the cards may be selectively changed in a reliable and facile manner.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the card punching machine of the present invention involves a plurality of slidable die blocks each of which mounts its own punch head for displacement through a card receiving slot. The die blocks are individually positioned by selector means so as to punch holes in the card at different locations, the card receiving slots in the die blocks being therefore aligned with each other to receive the card regardless of the position to which the die block is displaced. A common actuator mechanism is operative to actuate all of the punch heads on the die blocks except for those die blocks positioned to an inactive location by the selector mechanism.

A still further object of the present invention in accordance with the foregoing objects, is to provide a card punching machine having a selector mechanism through which the slidable die blocks are displaced to selected positions corresponding to coded information for which the card punching machine is to be set. The selector mechanism includes a detent plate which extends laterally beyond the base on which all of the die blocks are slidably mounted so as to present a larger surface as compared to the total width of the die blocks thereby facilitating the manipulation of the selector knob through which the die blocks are moved to selected positions.

Yet another object of the present invention in accordance with the foregoing object, is to provide a detent mechanism for holding the slidably mounted die blocks of the card punching machine in the selected positions thereof. Accordingly, positioning rods are connected to the die blocks in such a manner as to resist angular displacement of the positioning rods relative to the die blocks so that the positioning rods may yieldably hold the die blocks in the selected positions. Accordingly, extensions of the positioning rods to which selector knobs are connected, are received in longitudinally spaced notches formed in parallel spaced positioning slots that are fixedly mounted in a detent plate on the base of the card punchin g machine.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the card punching machine of the present invention.

IGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the card punchin g machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 33 in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the card punching machine with parts broken away and shown in section.

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevational View of the card punching machine as viewed from a side opposite that of FIGURE 2, with parts broken away and shown in section.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane. indicated by section line 66 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing a modification of the card punching machine as illustrated in FIGURES 1-6.

FIGURE 8 is a partial section-a1 view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 8-8 in FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, FIGURES 14 shown the card punching machine in its entirety, the machine being generally denoted by reference numeral 10. The machine is mounted on any suitable supporting surface by an elongated base generally referred to by reference numeral 12. Secured to the base intermediate the forward and rear ends 14 and 16 thereof, are a pair of upstanding guide plate members 18 and 20. The guide plate members may be secured by fasteners 22 to the base and also interconnected along rear, downwardly sloping edges by a bridging portion 24 which acts as a limit stop as will be hereafter explained. Slidably mounted on the base between the guide plate members 18 and 20, are a plurality of relatively thin, longitudinally elongated die block assemblies 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34. Each of the die block assemblies mounts a punching mechanism generally referred to by reference numeral 36 adapted to be actuated by a common actuating mechanism generally referred to by reference numeral 38 which is mounted between the guide plate members 18 and 20 above the die block assemblies. Also connected to the die block assemblies and mounted on the base adjacent the front end 14 thereof, is a selective positioning mechanism generally referred to by reference numeral 40 by means of which the re spective die block assemblies are displaced to selected positions in order to punch a number of holes, corresponding to the number of die block assemblies disposed in active positions, on a card 42 as shown by dotted line in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 6 in particular, it will be observed that each of the die block assemblies includes a lower section 44 and an upper section 46 secured thereto and forming a card receiving slot 48. The card receiving slots 48 in each of the die block assemblies are therefore aligned and extend generally parallel to the base 12 a suflicient distance so as to receive the card 42 regardless of the position to which the die block assembly is displaced. The forward vertical edge of the die block assemblies will therefore always be disposed forwardly of a backstop member 50 which extends transversely of the base 12 through the card receiving slots 48. The backstop member 50 is therefore fixedly secured to the guide plate members 18 and 20 in spaced relation above the base by means of the laterally extending tabs 52 and fasteners 54. Thus, one side of the card 42 may be placed against the backstop member so that it will be in proper position when a perpendicular edge thereof abuts a lateral stop element 56 which is connected at an adjustable angle to the backstop member 50 as shown in FIG- URE 1.

With continued reference to FIGURES 2 and 6, it will be observed that the upper section 46 of each die block assembly includes a vertical bore 58 disposed adjacent the forward edge thereof, the bore 58 being axially aligned with the ejection passage 60 formed in the lower section 44 of the die block assembly. Mounted within a recess 62 in the lower die block section 44 as a die plate element 64 having a punch receiving aperture 66 axially aligned between the bore 58 and the ejection passage 60 so as to receive the punch end 68 of the punch head 70 associated with the punch mechanism 36. The punch head 70 is connected by a flexible connecting element 72 and the fastener 74 to a punch lever 76 which is pivotally connected by the pivot pin 78 to the upper section 46 of the die block assembly adjacent the rear end thereof. Seated within a recess 80 formed in the upper section 46 of the die block assembly, is a return spring 82 which abuts the element 72 so as to upwardly bias the punch head 70 and the punch lever 76 in engagement therewith. It will therefore be apparent, that the springs 82 associated with the punch mechanisms 36 will normally hold the punching ends 68 of the punch heads 70 withdrawn from the card receiving slots 48 which intersect the paths of movement of the punch heads.

Each of the punch levers 76 is adapted to be engaged by a common actuating rod 84 associated with the actuating mechanism 38 as more clearly seen in FIG- URES 2, 5 and 6. The axial ends of the actuating rod 84 are therefore received through the vertical guide slots 86 formed in the guide plate members 18 and 20 for this purpose. Connected to the actuating rod 84 between the guide plate members are a pair of link arms 88 which are pivotally connected to a lever arm 90 secured to a pivot shaft 92. The pivot shaft 92 is pivotally mounted between the guide plate members 18 and 20 and is connected to a forwardly extending actuating lever 94. It will therefore be apparent, that upon displacement of the actuating lever 94 downwardly the common actuating rod 84 will depress all of the punch levers 76 lying therebeneath so that each of the punch mechanisms 36 will punch a hole in the card 42 received within the card slots 48. It will also be apparent from FIGURE 5, that if any of the die block assemblies such as the die block assembly 26 is rear-wardly displaced to an inactive position, the punch lever 76 associated therewith will be out of the path of the common actuating rod 84 and hence will not be actuated. Accordingly, each of the die block assemblies may be displaced to a plurality of selected positions including at least one inactive position.

Connected to the lower die block section 44 and projecting from the forward vertical edge thereof is a positioning rod 96 forming part of the selector mechanism 40 aforementioned. Each positioning rod 96 includes an upwardly extending portion 98 at the forward end thereof with a selector knob 100 secured to the upper end. While the positioning rod associated with the central die block assembly 30 extends along the path of movement of its associated die block assembly throughout its length, the other positioning rods adjacent the end portions 98 extend laterally at an angle to the associated die block assemblies so that the lateral spacing between the end portions 93 will be greater than the spacing between the associated die block assemblies. In this manner, manipulation of the selector knobs 100 is facilitated. Also, the selector knobs may cooperate with formations on a top surface 102 of a detent bracket 104 which is laterally wider than the total width of the die block assemblies or the width of the base 12 on which they are slidable. The detent bracket 104 is connected by the fastener 166 to the forward edge 14 of the base in order to fixedly mount the top plate surface 192 above the positioning rods 96. The vertical end portions 98 of the positioning rods project upwardly through parallel spaced positioning slots 1% formed in the plate surface 102 so that the positioning rods may be longitudinally displaced by means of the selector knobs 100. Also formed along one side of the positioning slots 108, are longitudinally space ddetent notches within which the end portions 98 of the positioning rods are received to define the selected positions of the associated die block assemblies.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the positioning rods have threaded portions 112 at the rear ends thereof for threaded reception within the associated lower die block sections 44. In view of the elastic property of the material from which the positioning rods 96 are made, they will yieldably resist torsional strain or twist so that each positioning rod may be angularly displaced by means of the selector knob 16%) from a position in which its end portion 98 is received within a detent notch 119. Thus, the end portion 98 may be angualrly displaced to the positioning slot 108 for movement of the positioning rod and associated die block assembly to a new selected position corresponding to another notch 110. When the selector knob 109 is released, the positioning rod will return to its unstressed position if aligned with a notch 110. Thus, the positioning rods will be yieldably held in each of the selected positions corre sponding to the detent notches 110. Alternatively, a modified form of positioning rod 96' could be utilized as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 wherein the end portion 114 is held in axially assembled relation within the lower die block section 44 by means of a threaded anchor 116., the positioning rod 96 being however angularly displaceable relative to the lower die block section. A torsion spring 118 is interconnected between the anchor 116 and the positioning rod 96' so as to yieldably hold the positioning rod in an angular position with its end portion received within a detent notch as aforementioned in connection with the positioning rods 96.

From the foregoing description, the construction, operation and utility of the card punching machine of the present invention will be apparent. To use the machine, the die block assemblies are displaced to selected positions by means of the selector knobs 100 which upon release will be yieldably held in the detent notches 11s that may be suitably marked or numbered. Any one or more of the die block assemblies may also be displaced to an inactive position corresponding for example to the notches 110 at the rear ends of the positioning slots 108. After the card punching machine is so set by the selector mechanism, a card 42 may be inserted through the card receiving slots 48 in the die block assemblies and. properly positioned therein by means of the stop member 50 and stop element 56. All of the punch mechanisms 36 associated with the die block assemblies which are in active positions may then be actuated by means of the actuating mechanism 36 to punch the card at the proper locations. When the actuating mechanism is released, each of the punch heads 70 will be withdrawn from the card receiving slots 48 by the bias of the spring elements 82. Disassembly of the punch heads is prevented by limiting upward displacement of the punch levers 76. Accordingly, in the upper position of the punch levers 76, they will abut the limit stop 24 which bridges the guide plate members 18 and 20. Also, the small disk of material punched from the card will be ejected through the ejection passages 60 from the forward vertical edges of the lower die block sections 44.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A machine for punching coded data on a card comprising, a base, a plurality of die blocks movably mounted on said base, each of said die blocks having a card receiving slot therein and a punch passage intersecting said slot, a punch lever pivotally mounted on each die block, a punch head slidably mounted in each punch passage, means biasing each punch head into engagement with one of the punch levers to withdraw the punch head from the slot in the die block, guide means mounted by the base for guiding movement of the die blocks along fixed parallel paths, card stop means secured to the guide means for positionin said card within the card slots of the die blocks transverse to said parallel paths thereof, a plurality of positioning rods respectively connected to said die blocks, selector means connected to said positioning rods for displacement of the die blocks along said parallel paths, detent means engageable with said selector means for holding the die blocks in selected positions, and actuating means operatively mounted by the guide means for engagement With the punch levers on the die blocks to displace the punch heads through the card slots against the bias of said biasing means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said detent means includes a guide plate secured to said base and extending laterally therebeyond, said guide plate having a plurality of parallel positioning slots spaced apart a distance greater than the width of said die blocks and longitudinally spaced notches formed in each positioning slot receiving said selector means in selected positions of the die blocks, and means mounting the positioning rods on the die blocks for yieldably resisting angular displacement of the selector means out of the notches into the positioning slots.

3. A machine for punching coded data on a card comprising, a base, a plurality of die blocks movably mounted on said base, each of said die blocks having a card receiving slot therein, punch means movably mounted by each of the die blocks for displacement through the card slot, guide means mounted by the base for guiding movement of the die blocks along fixed parallel paths, card stop means secured to the guide means for positioning said card within the card slots of the die blocks transverse to said parallel paths thereof, selective positioning means for displacement of said die blocks to selected positions, actuating means operatively mounted by the guide means and engageable with the punch means in some of the selected positions of the die blocks for displacement of the punch means through said card slots, detent means releasable in response to angular displacement of the selective positioning means relative to the die blocks for holding the die blocks in said selected positions and means connecting said selective positioning means to the die blocks and yieldably resisting said angular displacement thereof.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said detent means includes a guide plate secured to said base and extending laterally therebeyond, said guide plate having a plurality of parallel spaced positioning slots through which the selective positioning means project and longitudinally spaced notches formed in each positioning slot to define said selected positions of the die blocks.

5. In a record punch machine having spaced guides between which a plurality of stacked punch and die blocks are slidably mounted for movement along parallel paths, a selector mechanism comprising a fixed guide plate having positioning slots equal in number to the punch and die blocks and spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the spacing between said parallel paths, positioning rods connected to said punch and die blocks having portions received in the slots, detent means yieldably holding the positioning rods in selected positions within the slots and selector knobs connected to said portions of the positioning rods above the fixed plate. 7

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said positioning rods have longitudinal axes about which the rods are angularly displaceable for disengagement of the detent means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,342,516 2/1944 Nevin 234-47 3,036,518 5/1962 Persson et al. 234109 3,108,742 10/1963 Schacht 234- GERALD A. DOST, Primary Examiner. 

